


Tell The World

by sunshinexbomb



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-26 16:21:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13239501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshinexbomb/pseuds/sunshinexbomb
Summary: “I know. It’s really nothing. You know how I get about keeping my personal life private, and of course Alex knows exactly how to press my buttons -”“And you let him do it,” Mike scoffs, but his eyes soften when Nicky shrinks into himself a little.There’s a loose thread coming off the edge of Nicky’s hoodie, and he fiddles with it for a second, Mike’s eyes still trained right on him the whole time, waiting for a response.“You’re right,” Nicky finally admits. “This whole - relationship - it’s just new still. Things are going well, but telling Alex, telling the team, it’s a big step.”“And you’ll take it when you’re ready,” Mike says with a shrug.--Or three times somebody finds out about Nicky and Braden and one time they decide to tell someone on their own.





	Tell The World

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year! Last year I didn't reach my total word count goal for myself, so we're starting this year off right. I started this fic approximately five hundred years ago and randomly picked it back up again. Somehow I got out 5k in a matter of days which is ridiculous for me, so here you have it!
> 
> This is based completely off [a quote from Nicky](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2015/04/22/braden-holtby-steadies-capitals-in-game-4/?utm_term=.b6db58dbe9c9) where he says: "[Braden's] a really calm guy. … It’s just a guy you’d want to bring home to your parents a lot. Like for a girl, not for me."
> 
> This is clearly fictional etc, etc. Thanks to Grace and Leyna for the beta!! All other mistakes are my own.

**one**

It’s been a long time since Nicky’s been bothered by Alex’s blatant disregard for anyone’s personal space, but then again, Alex usually isn’t invading his space while only half dressed and in the locker room. Generally it’s one or the other, but never both. Even Alex has some boundaries.

“Do you need something?” Nicky asks when Alex sits beside him on the bench, much too close considering he’s wearing only his spandex bottoms and Nicky’s still in the process of pulling his gear off.

Alex is looking at him consideringly. It’s not a look that Nicky’s unfamiliar with - they’ve known each other long enough that few things about Alex surprise him anymore. Which is probably why Nicky’s not particularly phased when Alex says, “You’re sleeping with someone.”

“That’s really none of your business,” Nicky replies with a shrug. It’s not a secret - there’s a large bruise blooming on his collarbone that’s completely unrelated to hockey and fading scratches marked into the skin of his back, but still. Nicky’s a private guy; he doesn’t go around sharing the details of his personal life with his team until he’s ready for it.

“You’re sleeping with someone on the team,” Alex says more pointedly, and that does surprise Nicky, making him lose his grip on the pads he’s holding in his hand.

“That’s _really_ none of your business,” he says sharply, and the look on Alex’s face turns playful as he lets out a loud laugh that startles Burky a few stalls down.

“I’m captain, of course it’s my business.”

“Not when it comes to who I’m dating,” Nicky says with a frown.

Alex’s face dips into something more serious for a second. “It’s my business when it could affect team,” he says.

Nicky doesn’t have an answer for that - not when he knows Alex is technically right. Alex should know, not only because he’s captain, but because he’s one of Nicky’s best friends, both on and off the team. “I’m just - not ready,” Nicky admits quietly.

“You say dating,” Alex says, softer than before, less playful.

“What?” 

“I said ‘sleeping with’, but you said ‘dating’,” Alex clarifies, still in that same, soft voice. “They’re not the same thing.”

Nicky doesn’t have an answer for that either.

“How did you even know?” Nicky asks instead.

“More observant than you think,” Alex says with a large grin. “Also, you’re less subtle than you think,” he adds teasingly.

“But you don’t know who?” Nicky asks, worrying a bit nervously at his bottom lip where it’s cracked already from the cold rink air.

“Not yet,” Alex shrugs, “but will figure it out.”

“Alex-” Nicky says with warning, and Alex cuts him off, hands coming up in surrender.

“Will back off if you want,” he says, “but could be good to tell someone.”

Even when half naked, Alex is a comforting presence at Nicky’s side. He’s safe, familiar, and when he presses their knees together, Nicky knows that he means it that he’ll back off if Nicky gives the word. Like he said, even Alex has boundaries.

“I’ll think about it,” Nicky says finally with a sigh, and that’s enough for Alex’s large grin to return as he claps his hand down on Nicky’s thigh.

“Can’t wait to find out,” Alex says. Nicky doesn’t doubt at all that that’s true.

\--

**From: Alex Ovechkin**

**__** _can make guess???? )))_

**To: Alex Ovechkin**

**__** _Guess about what?_

**From: Alex Ovechkin __**_nicky boyfriend <3_

**To: Alex Ovechkin**

**__** _No._

**From: Alex Ovechkin**

_is greenie????? brooksy???? BURKY????????_

**To: Alex Ovechkin**

**__** _No, no, and definitely not?_

**From: Alex Ovechkin**

_why not burky very handsome_

**To: Alex Ovechkin**

**__** _He’s also 19._

**From: Alex Ovechkin**

_is legal )))))_

**To: Alex Ovechkin**

**__** _This conversation is over._

\--

Nicky’s the last to leave Kettler, his phone buzzing insistently in his pocket with Alex’s messages, but when he steps into the low-lit garage where his car is parked, he’s unsurprised to find Braden leaning against his car, waiting. Nicky smiles softly when Braden notices him, and when he’s close enough, he kisses Braden quick but soft, grabbing onto the lapels of his winter coat.

“Took you long enough,” Braden teases and Nicky just laughs, kissing him again because they’re alone and there’s no one to see.

“Wanted to make sure Alex was gone. I was afraid he was going to corner me on my way out,” Nicky explains, nose crinkling a bit in exasperation.

“About what you guys were discussing in the locker room?”

Nicky nods. “Yeah, Alex he - uh - he knows I’m dating someone. Like on the team.”

Braden purses his lips. “Does he know - ?”

“He has no idea who it is. Thought it was Mike. Or Andre.”

“Burky? He’s only like -”

“I know,” Nicky cuts off warily. “I think he was kidding about that one. At least for the most part.”

“Are you going to tell him?” Braden asks. Nicky still has his hands tight around Braden’s coat. When he flattens his palm out, he imagines he can feel the calm, steady beating of his heart.

“I don’t know. Alex wants me to,” he admits.

“It could be good,” Braden says, not pushing or pointed. “But you know it’s up to you.”

Nicky nods. It hasn’t been easy, he knows, keeping this under wraps, hiding it from their team, their friends. “I know. I’m thinking about it.”

Braden kisses him again, a bit longer this time. “Okay. That’s okay. You don’t have to decide now. Let’s go back to your place, yeah? ”

Not for the first time, Nicky’s grateful for Braden’s patience, his level-headedness. He’s sure it has its limits, and Nicky’s glad he hasn’t pushed past them just yet.

\--

Nicky doesn’t tell Alex about Braden, but he doesn’t tell him to back-off either, so naturally, Alex keeps pushing. It’s nothing too hostile, mostly just Alex throwing random names at Nicky and trying to get him to admit to something. Nicky’s found him trying to get into his phone more than once, which is more annoying but still harmless. 

Mike’s name comes up more often than anyone else’s, but Nicky supposes it’s better than Alex thinking he’s sleeping with their nineteen year old rookie. Nicky finds it amusing for the most part, always rolling his eyes when he tells Braden about Alex’s assumptions, but he doesn’t miss the way Braden works a little harder to block Mike’s shots on him during practice when he sees Nicky messing around with him on the ice.

Alex decides it’s not Mike during a road trip through the west. They’re having team breakfast before morning skate, Mike sitting next to Nicky, still mostly asleep. Alex takes a seat across from them, looking between them like he’s trying to piece together a puzzle.

“I’ll tell you when I’m ready,” Nicky says, interrupting Alex before he even gets a word in. 

“Definitely not Greenie,” he says like it’s a grand conclusion and not something Nicky’s been telling him for over a week. Nicky just rolls his eyes.

“What’s not me?” Mike mumbles over his coffee and Nicky answers, “Ignore him,” the same time Alex says, “Nicky’s boyfriend.”

“Oh, yeah, definitely not me,” Mike says through a large yawn. “Can you pass me the toast?”

“You know who it is then?” Alex asks, purposefully holding the toast hostage and staring at Nicky, instead, obviously affronted.

“No, he doesn’t,” Nicky says, grabbing the toast from Alex’s hands and passing it on to Mike’s waiting hands. Mike smiles brightly.

Alex doesn’t look like he believes them, and Mike insists, “I really don’t, Ovi. I just know it’s not me - I think I’d be able to tell if it was.”

“Who is it then?” Alex asks, almost a whine. He scans the room curiously, and it’s probably just in Nicky’s head that Alex’s eyes linger a bit longer on where Braden and Alzy are working on a crossword puzzle together than on anywhere else. 

“When I’m ready,” Nicky says a bit more firmly, and he’s thankful that Alex listens.

\--

**From: Alex Ovechkin**

_y cant u just tell me (((((_

**To: Alex Ovechkin:**

**__** _More fun this way._

**From: Alex Ovechkin**

**__** _((((((((((((_

**From: Alex Ovechkin __**_will figure out soon_

**To: Alex Ovechkin: __**_I’m sure you will._

**\--**

Alex’s questions die down for a while as the season picks up and the Caps get stuck in a stretch of bad games and poor losses. Morale is low for all of them, and Nicky feels dead tired most days after practice, he and Braden preferring to nap for long stretches of free time over doing anything else.

They barely get a minute alone together when on the road. Nicky may not be sharing a room with Mike anymore, but it doesn’t make it any easier for them to sneak around. Even if Alex is preoccupied with his own problems and stuttering on-ice performance, it doesn’t mean he’s forgotten about Nicky completely.

It’s just that these days Alex’s quips about Nicky come in the form of ill-timed chirps that get under Nicky’s skin more often than not. They’re all tired, they’re all frustrated, and the last thing Nicky wants to hear is Alex’s low mumblings about how Nicky’s lucky to have an on-the-road stress reliever to follow bad games and hard practices.

“Shouldn’t be so tense when you have boyfriend around all the time,” Alex says, voice just on the wrong side of teasing one practice when Nicky takes a bad shot that pings off the post.

When Nicky slams his shoulder against Alex’s, it’s much too hard to even pretend it’s playful. 

“Remember when you said you’d back off if I gave you the word? I’m giving it to you right now. Back off, Alex,” Nicky says coldly.

Alex’s brows furrow, but he doesn’t say anything else as Nicky skates off towards the bench, hands shaking a bit as he takes off his gloves and reaches for his water bottle. 

On the other side of the rink, Alex skates over to a concerned Mike, but Nicky ignores them both, concentrating more on calming down the blood rushing through his ears and the angry beating of his heart. It’s been a long time since Alex has gotten under his skin like this. Nicky knows it’s mostly because of the grind of the season, but he still hates that a few choice words are enough to get him so riled up. 

Nicky’s too wrapped up in his own head to notice Braden skating up to him, and he startles when he feels a hand on his shoulder.

“Everything okay?” Braden asks, mouth turned down.

Nicky leans into his side as far as he can, a shift small enough to be subtle, but it’s just enough enough that Nicky can take comfort in Braden’s presence. It’s calming, like Nicky’s immersed himself in the bubble of Braden’s goalie zen.

“Just Alex being Alex,” Nicky says, managing a smile. He likes that he can still get Braden to laugh when his own mood is so sour.

“Makes sense,” Braden says calmly, “you were making the face.”

“What face?”

“You have an Ovi face, it’s like,” Braden pauses, furrowing his eyebrows and pursing his lips.

Nicky laughs loudly and suddenly. He’s seen his own face enough times on camera and in pictures to recognize the look Braden’s giving him.

“Stop, go back to your crease,” Nicky says, pushing Braden gently so he slides back with a laugh. His eyes are crinkled in Nicky’s favorite smile.

Braden drops his hand down to Nicky’s waist briefly before following his directions, sliding down his mask and settling himself between the posts where some of the boys are lining up to do penalty drills. 

As he puts his own helmet back on, Nicky’s sure that this time he isn’t just imagining Alex’s eyes trained on him.

\--

With Trotz skating them to an inch of their life, Nicky’s mood drops again quickly. By the time practice is done, Nicky’s legs feel like lead, and he’s ready to sink into the soothing chill of an ice bath.

Nicky’s too tired to do anything but glance warily when Alex approaches him in the locker room. He’s surprisingly quiet, though, almost thoughtful in the way he’s considering Nicky, just like the morning with Mike. Braden catches Nicky’s eyes from where he’s sitting in his stall; Nicky gives him a slight shrug to let him know things are okay.

When Alex finally says something, it’s quietly, in a low mumble meant only for Nicky. “It’s Holts, isn’t it?”

“I told you to drop it, Alex,” Nicky says in a deadpan. “I meant it.” 

The frustration is clear in Alex’s voice when he says, “You could just tell me -”

“No, I can’t just tell you,” Nicky says, angry. He’s louder than he means to be, surprising Kuzy and Andre into silence where they’re talking a couple stalls over. “I don’t have to tell you anything, Alex, especially not this -”

Nicky doesn’t miss Braden getting quickly to his feet, still half-dressed in his practice gear, but it’s Mike that gets there first, pulling Alex away and whispering something to him in stern, hushed tones. Mike gives Nicky a _we’re talking_ _later_ look as he leads Alex to the other side of the locker room to where he was talking to Brooks earlier. Nicky knows better than to hope that Mike won’t follow up with him after practice. 

Nicky strips out of the rest of his gear quickly and quietly, not talking to or looking at anyone else, not even Braden, as he makes his way to the showers.

\--

Mike does pull Nicky aside in the parking garage, but their conversation is shorter and less painful than Nicky anticipated.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you and Alex, but you both need to cool it,” Mike says. Nicky sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

“I know. It’s really nothing. You know how I get about keeping my personal life private, and of course Alex knows exactly how to press my buttons -”

“And you let him do it,” Mike scoffs, but his eyes soften when Nicky shrinks into himself a little. “We’re all tired, Nicky. We’re all frustrated. Maybe Alex doesn’t have the best way to blow off steam, but you’re just making it worse by fighting back. You both need to lay off.”

“I know,” Nicky says again, “I _know_. It’s just frustrating -”

“Alex has been frustrating for the last seven years, you can’t let it start changing things now,” Mike says, and it’s enough to startle a laugh out of Nicky.

There’s a loose thread coming off the edge of Nicky’s hoodie, and he fiddles with it for a second, Mike’s eyes still trained right on him the whole time, waiting for a response.

“You’re right,” Nicky finally admits. “This whole - relationship - it’s just new still. Things are going well, but telling Alex, telling the team, it’s a big step.”

“And you’ll take it when you’re ready,” Mike says with a shrug. He claps Nicky on the shoulder, and Nicky’s a bit surprised when he’s pulled into a hug. Sinking into Mike is always easy, though, the familiar smell of his soap and the crappy laundry detergent he always buys even though he could easily afford something better now. It’s a different kind of comforting than being around Braden, but Nicky appreciates it just the same.

\--

Braden’s already at Nicky’s when he gets there, sprawled out on the couch and watching some terrible reality cooking show that Nicky knows Willy and Latts have been pushing everyone to watch over the team group chat. Seeing him there, clearly comfortable and in-place in Nicky’s living room, makes something swell in Nicky’s chest, and Nicky just stands there in the doorway for a second, taking in the sight and how it feels good and it feels right.

When Nicky makes his way over to the couch finally, Braden makes a spot for him, letting Nicky lie on top of him and bury his nose in Braden’s neck for a second. 

“Do you think I’m being stupid by not telling Alex about us?” Nicky asks, the words muffled against Braden’s skin.

“Honestly?” Braden asks, continuing when Nicky nods as best he can. “Yeah, a bit. You know I don’t want to push you, but Ovi, Mike, they’re your best friends. They should know.”

Nicky doesn’t argue, because he knows Braden’s right. He does kiss Braden softly, though, on the edge of his jaw where he’s already starting to grow a bit of stubble after shaving a couple days ago. “How are you always so calm about these things?”

“It’s a goalie thing,” Braden answers, and Nicky can feel the way Braden’s chest rumbles with laughter underneath him.

The TV’s on low enough that it’s just a hum in the background, and as they lie together, Nicky’s hit with post-practice weariness again. The steady rise and fall of Braden’s chest is calming, though, and Nicky starts to drift off, his eyes getting heavier and his own breathing starts to even out.

“Are you going to tell him?” Braden asks. He’s started to run his fingers through Nicky’s hair, combing through where it’s tangled after his shower. It does nothing but make Nicky sleepier, and he has trouble making sense of Braden’s question through the tired haze in his head.

“Hm?”

“Ovi? Are you going to tell him about us? I would - I’d like that, Nicky. If he knew.”

“Yeah,” Nicky manages to mumble out, words slurring together slightly as he continues, “yeah, I’ll tell him. Promise.”

The last thing Nicky remembers before he drifts off completely is Braden kissing the top of his head softly.

\--

**From: Alex Ovechkin __**_nicky awake?????? bringing u breakfast ))))_

**From: Alex Ovechkin**

**__** _better be awake when i get there nicky_

**From: Alex Ovechkin**

**__** _rude to leave guest out in cold nicky!!!!!!_

**Missed Call From: Alex Ovechkin**

**Missed Call From: Alex Ovechkin**

**Missed Call From: Alex Ovechkin**

**To: Alex Ovechkin __**_I’m coming oh my god stop calling me_

\--

“What are you doing here?” Nicky asks, still rubbing sleep out of his eyes when he opens the door to Alex standing there. He’s smiling his usual bright, gap-toothed smile, holding tea and something that smells greasy and off-diet in his hands.

“Told you, I brought breakfast,” Alex says, shoving the food into Nicky’s arms and inviting himself inside. “Apology breakfast. Mike talked to me yesterday, said I was being a jerk. And he’s right. So, came to apologize.”

It may be because he’s still half asleep, but Nicky’s oddly touched, so he doesn’t complain as Alex makes his way to the kitchen and settles himself at Nicky’s island bartop. 

They make their way through their breakfast quietly, the tea still warm and just what Nicky needs this early in the morning. When he starts to feel a bit more awake, Nicky bumps his shoulder against Alex’s, laughing when Alex shoves him back a bit harder but still playful.

“I’m sorry too,” Nicky says. “For not telling you sooner. I didn’t mean to keep it from you, and we decided we both want you to know.”

Alex brightens at that, but he schools his face into something more serious when he says, “I’m very glad you and Burky come to senses.”

“Oh my god, no, nevermind, I’m not going to tell you,” Nicky says, kicking at Alex’s legs as he laughs loudly beside Nicky. “I’m going to keep it a secret forever. Tell the entire team and make sure none of them tell you. I’ll get married and not invite you to my wedding -”

“Nicky, stop, I know it’s Holts,” Alex interrupts, still laughing.

Nicky can’t help the soft smile that spreads across his face, or the warmth in his face. “Yeah. Yeah, it’s Braden.”

“Things are good? You’re happy?” Alex asks. “Don’t want to have to tell Trotzy to trade Holts away. He’s a very good goalie.”

“Yeah, things are very good,” Nicky says, smile growing. “I’m really happy with it.”

“Good.”

They fall into comfortable silence again over their breakfast, interrupted only when Nicky has to ask, “How did you know? Really?”

Alex laughs, tapping the side of his head. “Told you, I’m more observant than you think. Job to watch team, to know things about them.”

Nicky rolls his eyes, and he has a chirp on the tip of his tongue that’s lost when Alex adds, “Plus, I also say you’re less subtle than you think. You have number 70 on hoodie right now.”

Alex taps Nicky on the chest, right above the Capitals logo to where Braden’s number is stamped in bold white lettering. Nicky blushes furiously, hiding his face in his hands. “Oh my god.”

Not for the first time, Nicky’s glad that Alex some boundaries, because he doesn’t want to have to explain that not only does he have Braden’s hoodie with him, he also has Braden here, still fast asleep in his room upstairs.

 

**two**

Some games are worth celebrating, and even Nicky can agree that a shutout win against the Penguins on Pittsburgh ice is high on that list. 

Nicky’s on his third drink of the night, sitting flush against Braden in the small booth a few of them have squeezed into. Braden’s smiling wide, his hand high on Nicky’s thigh under the table and his cheeks red from the drinks everyone keeps buying him in honor of not only his third shutout of the season, but a shutout against _Crosby_ in his own city. 

It’s a good feeling, feeding off the positive energy of the team, everyone laughing and celebrating Braden’s win and Fehrsie’s two-goal night. Nicky feels light with it, happy and content to be sitting between Braden and Alex, Mike and Brooks across from the three of them. Letting himself enjoy the night is easy when it’s one of those nights where everything went right, one of those nights where they felt on top of the world every time the puck hit the back of the net.

There are times, though, that Nicky wishes he could do a bit more than this, that he could bury his face into Braden’s neck and crawl into his lap and kiss him in congratulations in front of the team. It’s dumb because Nicky set his own limits, put up his boundaries clearly and purposefully because he needs to keep some things to himself, and Braden agreed because he knew it was important to Nicky. Sometimes Nicky just wishes he had an easier time just letting himself put it all out there and be open.

It’s hardest when he’s just tipsy enough that all he can really think about is Braden’s hand dangerously close to his dick and the way he’s solid and warm against Nicky’s side. Braden looks amazing with the flush high on his cheeks and his eyes crinkled into a warm, bright smile. Nicky wants him, has been wanting him since his first few beautiful saves of the game when they started to realize that this night would be good to them.

Nicky leans closer to Braden, grabbing his hand where it’s still resting on Nicky’s leg, fingers digging into the softer parts of Nicky’s thighs. “We should go back to the hotel soon,” Nicky whispers. 

Alex snorts out a laugh beside them before Braden can answer, whispering something about _not subtle at all_ , but Nicky ignores him in favor of sliding closer to Braden until he’s nearly sitting in his lap. Braden’s still smiling, but his eyes are darker, and maybe Alex is right, because the way he licks his lips when he looks at Nicky really isn’t subtle in the least bit. 

“Um, yeah, maybe,” Braden agrees, his smile wide.

They stick around for one more round of drinks, Nicky squirming in his seat with Braden’s hand still on his thigh. Alex actually leaves before either of them, rolling his eyes with exaggeration when Nicky nearly spills his drink at something Braden whispers in his ear, breath hot against Nicky’s skin. By the time Nicky is wishing everyone goodnight, he’s half-hard just from anticipation and he’s so, so glad they’d decided to stay at the hotel bar instead of going into the city. 

He and Braden never leave at the same time, and the elevator Nicky calls to take him up to his floor is blissfully empty. He closes his eyes for a second, leaning against the glass back. Nicky’s face is hot from the drinks they had but also just from thinking about Braden and how it felt to have his thick fingers digging into Nicky’s thigh under the table. 

When he gets to his room, Nicky fumbles to get his keycard into the lock, his hands feeling heavy and clumsy. He ends up stumbling inside rather ungracefully when he finally gets the door open, and he’s just gotten his phone out of his pocket to text Braden when there’s a knock on the door. 

“I thought you’d be a bit longer,” Nicky admits, opening the door to Braden on the other side already. 

“I couldn’t wait,” Braden says, shutting the door quickly behind him. 

He kisses Nicky roughly, hands on either side of Nicky’s face. Nicky moans, his phone falling to the carpet with a gentle thud, but he ignores it, letting Braden lead him backward towards the bed instead. 

“I’ve been wanting you all night,” Nicky says, breathing heavily as Braden kisses his jaw, his neck, his collarbones. 

Braden’s eyes are dark when he looks at Nicky. He’s just recently shaved, just a light shadow of stubble that catches against Nicky’s fingers when Nicky kisses him. It does nothing to hide the red in Braden’s cheeks, and Nicky loves the color of it against his skin. 

They’re both tipsy, movements clumsy, but it feels good just to have Braden on top of him, solid and heavy. Nicky lets Braden tug his shirt off and then undoes his jeans himself, relieving some of the pressure from his now fully-hard dick. 

“I wanna blow you,” Braden mumbles against Nicky’s mouth, already reaching into his briefs. 

Nicky lets out a choked out gasp at Braden’s hand wrapping around his dick. “Shouldn’t I be the one blowing you to congratulate your shutout?”

“You can congratulate me by letting me do what I want,” Braden says, and it makes Nicky laugh before he’s keening instead as Braden starts to stroke him. 

“I’m not going to say no to you wanting to suck my dick.”

Braden laughs too, kissing Nicky once before sliding to his knees at the edge of the bed. Nicky kicks off his jeans and briefs, cock hard and leaking against his stomach. 

Braden works slowly, taking his time spreading apart Nicky’s thighs, running his hands over the thick muscle. Nicky just watches, his hands clutching uselessly at the bedsheets as Braden wraps a hand around the base of Nicky’s dick and strokes him slowly. 

Control is important to Braden; he doesn’t like Nicky tugging at his hair and definitely doesn’t like getting his face fucked the way some of the other guys Nicky has slept with in the past prefer. Nicky’s okay with that, though - he has no reason not to be when the wet velvet heat of Braden’s mouth is always the perfect pressure around his dick, his tongue working with practiced ease to make Nicky moan. 

Braden looks obscene with his mouth wrapped around Nicky’s cock. He bobs his head slowly, covering what he can’t take in with his hand. 

“You feel so good, Braden,” Nicky breathes out, and he knows he’s not going to last long, not when he’s been so keyed up all night and now that he has Braden in between his legs with his cheeks hollowed and his mouth red. 

Nicky can feel his orgasm building rapidly, the heat coiling tight and hot in his stomach, and he gives little warning before he comes into Braden’s mouth. Braden sucks him through it until Nicky’s a gasping mess.

When Braden comes up to kiss him, his mouth tastes like Nicky, heady and bitter, and it makes Nicky’s dick twitch despite the fact that he’s nowhere near ready to go again. 

“Did you know you’re wearing way too many clothes?” Nicky grumbles, making Braden laugh. 

Braden is sitting in Nicky’s lap, straddling both of his legs, and he’s obviously hard through his pants. Nicky unbuttons them, pushing them down until they’re at least around Braden’s knees. The tip of Braden’s dick is flushed red, pre-come leaking generously. 

“Want to come on my face?” Nicky asks, thumbing at the slit of Braden’s dick and causing the sweetest noises to escape the back of his throat. 

“Yeah - fuck, yeah, definitely.”

Nicky lies back against the bed as Braden works on getting his pants the rest of the way off. Braden moves forward until he has his legs on either side of Nicky’s chest, the flush of his cheeks reaching down his neck and chest. He jerks himself off hard and fast. Nicky’s just closed his eyes when he feels Braden’s come hot and sticky against his cheeks and across his mouth. They both gasp, and when Nicky opens his eyes, it’s to Braden’s chest heaving with his heavy breathing. 

“You look so good, Nicky,” Braden says, voice hoarse. His eyes are still dark and glassy as he rubs a thumb against the come against Nicky’s mouth, pushing it between Nicky’s lips so he can taste it. 

Nicky lets him, knowing what he must look like, his mouth red and his cheeks pink, white streaks of come covering his face. Braden leans down to kiss him, and there’s something undeniably filthy about him licking the taste of himself clean from Nicky’s mouth, just as Nicky had done earlier. 

“Let me get you a washcloth,” Braden says when they separate and Nicky nods, his skin starting to dry into the uncomfortable side of sticky. 

Braden slips into the bathroom, coming back a couple minutes later with a warm, wet cloth that he uses to help clean Nicky up. He tosses it to the side rather unceremoniously, making Nicky rolls his eyes, but he’s not complaining when Braden cuddles close to him as they get under the covers. 

Nicky runs his hand along Braden’s bare back, and quickly, the two of them drift off to sleep. 

\--

Braden’s already gone by the time Nicky wakes up in the morning, but Nicky doesn’t mind. He’s always enjoyed having time to himself in the morning, thankful for the quiet and the chance to wake himself up without fuss or hurry. It works out perfectly that Braden likes to be up early, starting his day as soon as he can, while Nicky takes every opportunity he can to sleep in and spend a few extra minutes in bed.

Braden learned the hard way that Nicky is _not_ a morning person, but he learned quickly, and Nicky’s grateful that Braden’s content with just letting Nicky doze away the morning on off-days.

Nicky takes his time showering and getting dressed, remembering to pick his abandoned phone off the floor before heading downstairs. It’s nearly out of charge, but there’s a notification from Braden that says he’s already joined the team for breakfast. When Nicky unlocks his phone, it’s Mike’s contact info that pops up, which is weird because Nicky had definitely not called him last night, but he ignores it, opening up his messages to let Braden know he was headed down as well.

Most of the team is up and milling around already in the continental breakfast bar by the time Nicky joins them. Some of them are finishing up their meals, others like Nicky taking advantage of their day without morning skate and late departure time for their next game against the Islanders to sleep in for once. 

Braden’s sitting at a table with Schmidty and Carly, quietly doing his crossword while Schmidty tells a story with exaggerated hand motions that has Carly in stitches. Nicky catches his eyes and gets a sweet smile in return that makes Nicky feel warm in his chest as he grabs his breakfast and takes one of the empty seats at Mike and Brooks’ table.

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Brooks chirps. Nicky responds by swiping one of the pieces of toast off his plate because they’d run out at the breakfast bar.

“It’s not even that late,” Nicky says. “I’m sure Greenie just got up like ten minutes ago also.”

Across the table, Mike shrugs awkwardly, blushing when Nicky catches his eye. His posture is weirdly stiff, his shoulders held tight and tense.

“What’s wrong with you?” Nicky asks.

“Nothing,” Mike sputters, but it’s not convincing when he up ends his orange juice clumsily, staining the white tablecloth. “Fuck, sorry, let me get some napkins.”

He’s out of his seat quickly, avoiding Nicky’s eye. Nicky stares after him, confused.

“There are napkins right there,” Nicky says slowly pointing to the pile between Brooks and Mike, but Mike is already gone to the other side of the room, whole body still held rigid. “What’s his problem?”

Brooks shrugs, already starting to sop up the spilled juice with the napkins they have. “No idea, he’s been weird all morning. Won’t tell me what’s up, though.”

Across the room, Carly stops Mike with a hand tugging at his sleeve, asking him something with a huge smile and a loud laugh from Schmidty. Braden is smiling too, looking up from his crossword, and Mike’s eyes visibly widen when Braden asks him something. He gives a quick response before shaking Carly off, his cheeks aflame when he comes back with a huge stack of napkins in his hand.

Nicky doesn’t say anything else, doesn’t press Mike because he trusts Mike to tell him if there’s really something wrong, but he can’t tamper down the sick rolling in his stomach when Mike avoids his eye all through the rest of the morning.

\--

On the plane to New York, Mike skips over his usual seat next to Nicky and gets pulled into a game of cards by Beags in the back. Alex takes the empty seat next to Nicky instead, looking at him questioningly.

“You look upset,” Alex says candidly and to the point. “You have fight with Holts? Should I tell Trotz to bench him next game?”

"No, we need Braden to win,” Nicky says flatly and then sighs. “I think Mike is mad at me. Or something. He’s been acting weird all morning.”

Alex looks to the back of the cabin where Mike is wrapped up in whatever game Beags is orchestrating. He looks more relaxed than he did at breakfast, wrapped up in the loud laughter and Chimmer’s colorful cursing as he has to fold his hand.

“Have you tried to talk to him?” Alex asks, and Nicky shakes his head.

“No, he’s been avoiding me. There’s a reason you’re sitting here, and it’s not because I was saving you a seat.”

“Should I tell Trotz to scratch Greenie next game?”

Nicky laughs, bumping his shoulder against Alex’s. “No, stop trying to scratch people we need to win games.”

Alex’s grin is playful, and it helps to ease some of the tension that’s been sitting heavy in Nicky’s stomach the entire morning. “I can try and talk to him?” Alex suggests.

“No,” Nicky says, looking back at the group of guys in the back. “I’ll talk to him after we land.” 

The card game has grown considerably, Willy and Latts and Burky all having been pulled in at some point, with Mojo obviously trying to explain the rules to a confused Burky with careful patience. Mike is laughing at something Wardo says to Alzy, while across from them, Braden sits with Schmidty and watches with uncontained fondness. 

Braden notices Nicky watching, catching his eye with a huge smile that crinkles his eyes. His stubble is darker than it was just the night before, and his smile is bright enough to make Nicky’s heart stutter ridiculously. Nicky smiles back with a wave, but his face drops quickly when he notices Mike looking between the two of them.

Nicky sighs and turns around, drowning out the laughter and chatter behind him with his headphones and preparing for the rest of the short flight to New York.

\--

Nicky is one of the last ones off the plane, taking his time gathering his things so he can walk off following Braden.

“You seem tense,” Braden whispers, a hand low on Nicky’s back until they’re stepping outside to the steps leading off the plane.

Nicky smiles awkwardly for the PR cameras before replying, “I think something is up with Mike, but I’m not sure what. I was going to try and talk to him before we head to the hotel.”

Braden nods. “Okay, let me know how it goes,” he says with a comforting squeeze of Nicky’s shoulder.

Braden lets Nicky get in front of him so he can catch up to Mike. Nicky grabs Mike’s arm, startling him while the others are busy loading their gear and filing onto the bus. 

“I need to talk to you,” Nicky says, and Mike twists out of his grasp.

“Can we talk later?” Mike asks, clearly uncomfortable. His eyes are shifting nervously to the others milling around them.

“No, I want to talk now. You’ve been acting weird all day. Did I do something? Are you mad at me?”

“Backy, please, can this wait-?”

Mike’s face is slowly turning red, and he’s avoiding Nicky’s eye, and god, Nicky is sick of this. “No, it can’t. What is wrong with you?”

“You left me a voicemail,” Mike blurts out loudly, catching the attention of the last couple of guys getting their stuff under the bus.

“What do you mean I left you a _voicemail_? I didn’t call you last night,” Nicky hisses, glaring at anyone who’s staring at them too long because he knows that the look is enough to get them scuttling onto the bus.

“You must’ve like, pocket dialed me or something,” Mike says, his face red enough that Nicky’s pretty sure he could feel the heat coming off them if he touched Mike’s skin. “After you left the bar. I, uh, didn’t listen to the whole thing, but I could hear you and - and - Holts - and -”

It’s Nicky’s turn to blush, the heat spreading quickly to his face and neck. “Oh,” he says. 

He remembers his phone falling out of his hand the night before, Mike’s contact info open when he unlocked it this morning. His fingers must’ve slipped when he dropped it and called Mike and -

Fuck.

“I’m so sorry,” Mike says quickly. “I swear I didn’t listen and I deleted it when I realized but like. _Dude_ -”

“No, uh, that’s okay, it’s my fault,” Nicky says, understanding why Mike’s been averting his eyes all morning because Nicky feels like he can’t ever look Mike in the face again.

“Nicky-”

“Boys, let’s get going,” Trotz calls, interrupting Mike before he can continue. He’s standing at the entrance to the bus, waiting expectantly.

Nicky swallows thickly around the lump in his throat. “Yeah, um, let’s talk about this later,” he says. Mike nods, quickly following Trotz onto the bus.

Nicky’s the last one on the bus, and he takes the open seat next to Braden without really thinking about it. Braden looks at him, concerned. 

“Did everything go okay with Greenie?”

“Um,” Nicky blushes again. “Hold on.”

There’s no way to tell Braden what happened right now, not aloud at least when their surrounded by nosy teammates, some of whom are already questioning Mike about what he and Nicky were talking about.

Nicky pulls out his phone instead, quickly texting Braden, _accidentally left greenie a voicemail on his phone last night. of us._

Braden reads the text with a straight face and then just says, “Ah. Well. That’s not good.”

“Is it overly dramatic that all I can think about is how I want a hole to open up right underneath me and suck me into it so I never have to look Mike in the eye ever again?”

“Maybe a little dramatic,” Braden says, a hint of smile playing on his face, and Nicky laughs nervously.

“Probably not the best way for him to find out.” 

“I definitely would’ve preferred other ways,” Braden agrees. He pats Nicky’s leg, though, and adds, “It’ll be okay, though. He’ll get over it. Not like we haven’t all walked in on Ovi in more compromising positions at least once.”

Nicky squeezes Braden’s hand quickly and subtly. “I’d like to think we have a bit more decorum than Ovi,” he says, but it’s playful, light, Braden’s own calmness easing Nicky’s tension.

“We definitely do,” Braden assures him before turning back to his phone. He leaves his hand on Nicky’s knee, and Nicky’s glad, not for the first time, that he has Braden to ground him.

\--

Nicky knocks on the door to Mike’s hotel room not long after they’ve all settled in, and Mike opens the door with a nervous grin.

“Ready to talk about this then?” Mike asks, letting Nicky inside.

“As ready as I will be,” Nicky says flatly, glad that it makes Mike laugh.

They sit on Mike’s bed together, and it almost feels like back when they were younger and sharing a room, spending off days in different cities watching movies or playing video games. The only thing that reminds him of why he’s here now is the carefully placed distance between them.

“So, sorry that you had to find out about me and Braden like that,” Nicky says, staring mostly at his hands. There’s a bruise forming around his knuckles from an uncalled slash by one of the Penguins the night before, and they’re cracked and drying in some places from the December cold and hours spent in recycled rink air. 

“I kind of already knew,” Mike says, and Nicky looks up at him with wide eyes.

“What? How?”

“You’re not as subtle as you think,” Mike says. “Plus, you’re my best friend. I know what you’re like around someone you’re dating, and it’d be hard to miss Holts’ fondness for you from space.”

“That’s what Alex said too,” Nicky says with a grumble.

“I wish you could’ve told me sooner,” Mike admits. 

Nicky looks at him sheepishly. “I know, I’m sorry. I’m - working on it. It’s just been so good and easy, and telling people, telling the _team_ , complicates things.”

“If it’s really going as well as you think, then I think it’s time to start telling people, Nicky. It’s a good way to prove you want to keep Braden around.”

Nicky knows that Mike is right. He knows his own insecurities, his own faults. Not everyone likes to keep their personal life quite as personal as Nicky does, and even Nicky admits that’d it’d be nice to just be themselves around the team without the sneaking around and unnecessary subtleties. It’d be nice to have Braden hold his hand when things got rough or to have a shoulder to lean on on hard days.

“I will, soon.” Nicky promises, and Mike nods.

He moves closer to Nicky finally, throwing an arm around his shoulders, and Nicky leans against him comfortably. 

“So like, you definitely didn’t listen to the whole thing?” Nicky asks about the voicemail.

“God, no. It sounded pretty hot, though.”

Nicky punches Mike lightly in the stomach as Mike laughs loudly. “Shut up. It was hot, thanks.”

“Holts looks like he’d be good in bed. Is he like super flexible, or -?”

“Oh my god, shut _up_ , I liked it better when you were being awkward about this,” Nicky says, covering his face. 

“Like, I’m just saying, it sounded like you were having a good time-”

Nicky stops Mike by smacking a pillow in his face, getting off the bed. “I’m leaving, now, bye,” he says, but he’s smiling widely and his laughter is just about as loud as Mike’s.

It feels good to have someone else know.

 

**three**

Even after he moves in with Willy and Latts, Andre seems to be over at Nicky’s all the time, more often than not without invitation.

“You know this is not why I gave you that key,” Nicky says one morning when Andre’s unexpectedly dropped by for breakfast.

“Papa, there’s _no food_ at home,” Andre complains. “And Mike and Tom went on one of their Georgetown dates _without me_ today. What was I supposed to do?”

“Order food? Go out to eat? Bother literally anyone else?” Nicky grumbles because it’s still early, and Nicky was looking forward to sleeping in and having brunch with Braden. And now he’s stuck making eggs for Andre who’s pouting at him and making him feel guilty for being grumpy.

“You make the best eggs, though.”

Nicky just rolls his eyes, filling the plate sitting in front of Andre and making him beam.

At the very least, Andre is not particularly chatty this morning, eating quietly and scrolling through his phone. For all that Nicky complains, he would never turn Andre away, not when Nicky remembers what that first year with the team is like, how comforting it is to be somewhere you can speak your first language and feel a little bit more like yourself. Nicky was grateful for his time living with the Nylander’s, and he’s glad he can provide something similar for Andre while he’s still getting adjusted this season.

Nicky’s making himself a cup of tea when his phone rings, Braden’s name and picture flashing on the screen. Andre seems mostly engrossed at whatever he is looking at on his own phone so Nicky picks up the call with a soft, “Hey, good morning.”

“Good morning. I’m surprised you’re actually awake,” Braden says with a laugh.

“I had a surprise wake-up call in the form of a lanky nineteen-year old Swedish rookie.”

“ _Papa_ , don’t be mean,” Andre whines. 

“Stop eavesdropping, Andre,” Nicky says, and Andre sticks his tongue out him childishly.

“Andre’s there again?” Braden asks, and Nicky can imagine the smile on his face. “Does that mean no brunch today?”

“No, sorry, we’ll need to reschedule,” Nicky says, grabbing his tea and taking a seat next to Andre at the island counter. 

“You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to trade me in for a younger model,” Braden teases. Nicky nearly chokes on his tea.

“What? You sound like Ovi,” he says, voice rough as he tries to clear his throat.

“I think Burky has a crush on you.”

“He does not,” Nicky says with a frown, elbowing Andre in the ribs when he notices Andre looking at him curiously. Andre pushes him back with a giggle and a slight blush to his cheeks.

“Why wouldn’t he? You’re hot and talented and Swedish. Total package.”

Nicky feels his face grow hot, a dopey smile on his face because sometimes Braden makes _him_ feel like the one with the silly teenage crush. “Oh god, stop it,” Nicky says. “You’re being ridiculous.”

“It’s true,” Braden says. “I’ll leave you to your babysitting, though. Let me know when you’re free, maybe we can do dinner instead.”

“Yeah, that sounds great,” Nicky says. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

Andre is still staring at him when Nicky puts his phone down, and Nicky tries to school his smile into something more neutral. 

“Who was that?” Andre asks suspiciously.

“Just Braden,” Nicky says honestly. “Why are you being so nosy?”

“I’m not nosy. Just curious,” Andre says. “It sounds like you’re talking to -” he stops suddenly.

“Like I’m talking to who?” Nicky asks.

Andre shrugs. “No one. Nevermind. Can you make me tea too?”

Nicky wants to know what Andre was thinking but lets it go with just a raise of his eyebrow. “No, but you’re free to make it yourself.”

Andre pouts again but still gets up, shuffling around Nicky’s kitchen like it’s his own.

\--

Now that Braden’s mentioned it, Nicky can’t seem to ignore just how often Andre is around him. How whenever he’s not with Willy or Latts, Andre’s preference seems to be hanging off of Nicky or Mojo during practice or coming over to Nicky’s with some kind of excuse about not having any food at home or needing a break from having to listen to Willy and Latts argue about “The Bachelor”. 

“Why don’t you guys invite Burky when you go out,” Nicky asks Willy one day, cornering him during a water break at practice.

“We always invite him,” Willy says in a panic, eyes wide. “He’s the one always making excuses not to come out with us, I swear.”

Nicky puts the full force of his stare on Willy; his eyes get even wider. “Is that right?”

“Yes, Papa! Why wouldn’t we invite him? We were so excited when he moved in, and he keeps ghosting us. Latts is starting to get a complex.” 

“Hm, okay, I’ll talk to him,” Nicky says. “Also, work harder on your forecheck during the next drill,” he adds. Willy nods enthusiastically.

“Yeah, okay. Sure, Backy, of course.”

Nicky watches him skate back to center ice where Andre is wrestling playfully with Latts, hoping this isn’t something that’s going to become a problem.

\--

“I think you were right about Burky.” 

“Are you really thinking about Burky while I’m kissing you?” Braden asks, but he doesn’t sound pissed, more amused, and Nicky pushes against his chest lightly.

“No. I mean. Yeah, I guess. I’ve just been thinking about it in general.”

Braden sits up on the couch, pulling Nicky up with him. “It’s just a small crush, probably, Nicky. I don’t think it’s something you have to worry about.”

“What if it is, though?” Nicky asks with a frown. “I talked to Tom the other day, and he said that Andre keeps making excuses not to go out with him and Latts, and he’s always spending his time here. I want him to fit in and adjust and build chemistry with the whole team. Not just with me and Marcus.”

“You really do sound like a dad,” Braden teases, but then he kisses Nicky lightly. “Talk to him about it then. Tell him it’s important to branch out. He doesn’t just have a crush on you, Nicky. He respects you, he’ll listen to you.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Nicky says, still frowning. “I just don’t want it to become a problem.”

“It won’t,” Braden promises. “You’ll figure out how to handle it. You always do.”

Nicky pulls Braden in for another kiss, a little rougher this time. Braden pushes down on his shoulder, laying him out flat on the couch again, straddling his waist. Nicky runs his hands underneath Braden’s shirt, feeling the shift of the muscles in his back and shoulders.

They kiss slow and languid for the most part, the burn of Braden’s beard against Nicky’s face rough and welcome. Nicky doesn’t feel an urge to take things further, just enjoying the solid weight of Braden on top of him, but he doesn’t resist either when Braden tugs at the bottom of Nicky’s shirt and then pulls it over his head.

Braden’s working on leaving a mark on Nicky’s neck when Nicky freezes suddenly. There’s someone rattling at the door. Nicky barely has time to react before Andre’s calling out, “Nicky? Are you home?”

“Oh fuck,” Nicky curses, and Braden scrambles off of him quickly with wide eyes.

“Where’s my shirt?” Nicky hisses, grabbing it off the floor just as Andre walks into the living room.

“Um, did I interrupt something?” Andre asks, freezing at the doorway.

“Hey, Burky,” Braden says sheepishly, blush high on his cheeks as Nicky hastily tugs on his shirt. There’s probably no way to really pass this off as anything but what it was, not when Nicky was just half-naked and both he and Braden look so ruffled with their mouths red from kissing. 

“Hi,” Andre says weakly. “I, uh, can leave.”

“No, Andre, let’s talk,” Nicky says, tugging his shirt down the rest of the way and looking at Braden pointedly.

Braden gets the hint, clearing his throat awkwardly and saying, “Let me grab us some drinks,” before heading toward the kitchen, leaving Nicky with a blushing Andre.

“Andre, sit,” Nicky says motioning towards the empty chair near the couch, and Andre listens without protest. He’s avoiding Nicky’s eye.

“So you and Holts really are -?” Andre asks, stopping and looking for the right word, finally looking towards Nicky finally when it’s clear he can’t find it.

“We’re dating,” Nicky clarifies, and Andre’s face falls a little. “We have been a while now.”

“Oh, I didn’t know.”

“Not a lot of people do,” Nicky admits. “Just a few guys on the team. Alex, Greenie, Brooks, Marcus, a couple of others. We’ve been keeping it to ourselves mostly.”

“I feel so dumb,” Andre says smally, looking down at his hands.

Nicky winces, wondering if it’d be okay to reach out and comfort Andre, but decides to keep his hands to himself. If it was him, he wouldn’t exactly want anyone touching him quite yet. “Because you like me.”

It’s not a question, and Andre blushes even more. “Um, yeah. It’s stupid. Just - a crush. And I knew you were seeing someone, even felt like it might be Braden, but I just - I don’t know. Was hoping it wasn’t serious. Or that maybe if I kept hanging out with you, you would see me differently - or something. But it was dumb.”

“It’s not dumb. You’re not dumb, Andre,” Nicky says firmly. “You can’t control the way you feel and I never minded your company. I like having you around, and I’m glad you’re on this team. It’s just we’re probably not ever going to be more than friends and teammates.”

“Does ‘probably’ mean there’s still a chance?” Andre asks, a weak joke with a ghost of a smile.

“Andre-”

“I’m just kidding,” Andre says quickly and manages a real laugh. “I’ll get over it, Nicky. It was just a surprise.”

“Yeah, we weren’t exactly expecting company,” Nicky says flatly, and Andre laughs again.

“Obviously not. You really like him, don’t you? I kind of thought it might be Holts. You have this - smile - when you’re around him or talking to him. It’s cute.”

“Yeah, I do,” Nicky says softly, and he can’t even deny what Andre’s said because he can feel his mouth turning up already. “Things are going well between us. It’s working. We’re working. I’m happy.”

“Good, that’s what’s important,” Andre says. “Only the best for our Papa. And I guess it’s better than like Ovi or someone.”

“He’ll be thrilled to hear that,” Nicky says with a laugh.

“No, don’t tell him I said that,” Andre says with huge eyes, “ _Papa_.”

Nicky laughs loudly at Andre’s panic, just as Braden walks in from the kitchen with two beers in one hand and a bottle of soda in the other. “Everything going okay in here?” he asks.

“Andre’s decided you’re a better boyfriend for me than Ovi,” Nicky says, and Andre blushes, covering his face.

“Oh, glad to have your approval, Burky,” Braden says perching on the arm of the sofa next to Nicky. 

“Please don’t tell Ovi I said that,” Andre pleads again, and Braden laughs, handing him his drink.

“It’ll be our secret,” he promises. 

Nicky leans into his side, feeling warm and comfortable not only having him there, but having just one more person to share this with.

 

**+one**

Nicky had thought at some point that the novelty of having his parents come visit Washington would wear out, but it never quite does.

“You’re bringing everything on the list I sent you, right?” Nicky asks watching his mom scramble around on Facetime as she finishes her packing.

“Yes, dear,” she says, exasperated. “Why don’t you just get those things shipped to you? You have the money now.”

“You literally _asked_ me if I wanted you to bring anything.”

“I didn’t think you’d send an entire grocery list, love.”

Nicky had at most three things on his list. His mom is being so dramatic.

Nicky just watches for a while as his mom packs, comforted by her familiar movements and the quiet mumbling. He misses her and his dad, and he misses _home_ , and he’s so glad to be seeing them in just under twenty-four hours.

“I’ll talk to you soon, okay, Nicke?” his mom ask as she closes her suitcases. “Your dad will text you before we board the plane. He sent you the flight details, right?”

“Yeah, mom. I’ll see you soon.”

“Bye, love.”

The call ends with a beep, and Nicky puts his phone down with a smile on his face.

\--

“Do you think I should introduce my parents to Braden?” Nicky asks Marcus that night when a few guys from the team are out for dinner.

“Your parents have met Braden. Multiple times,” Marcus says, staring at Nicky like he’s an idiot.

“No, I mean like. _Introduce_ him. As the guy I’m dating. Braden is the kind of guy you would want to take home to your parents, right?”

“Probably not, since I’m married.”

“Mackan, you’re not being helpful,” Nicky sighs. Marcus just shrugs. 

At the other end of the table, Braden laughs loudly at something Ovi and Chimmer are arguing about, and Nicky can’t help the smile that spreads across his face when he catches Braden’s eye. 

“Nicke, you obviously like him a lot. If you’re serious about this relationship, then I think you know what the answer is,” Marcus says, digging through some of the leftovers on Nicky’s plate while he thinks Nicky is distracted.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Nicky says and then slaps Marcus’s hand away lightly. “And I _told you_ to order your own. Stop that.”

Marcus pouts at him, an uncanny imitation of Andre that makes Nicky laugh loudly.

\--

Braden walks Nicky to his car after dinner, their hands brushing lightly as they walk. Nicky wants desperately to reach out and tangle their fingers but restrains himself for now. 

“Do you want to come over for dinner tomorrow night?” Nicky asks, a little nervous about what it means, what it implies, but knowing it is definitely what he wants.

“Aren’t your parents going to be there tomorrow night?” Braden asks, and Nicky nods.

“Yeah, uh - that’s why I want you to come. I want them to meet you. You know - as the guy I’m dating.”

Braden pauses when they get to Nicky’s car, staring at him with wide, surprised eyes. “Oh. Yeah, Nicky, of course. I would love that.”

The smile on Braden’s face is wide, and it makes Nicky feel warm despite the February chill.

Nicky risks pressing a quick and light kiss against Braden’s mouth. “Great. Dress nice.”

“Of course. And Nicky, thank you. I know how big this is for you, and it’s huge for me too. It means a lot that you want to tell your parents.”

“Yeah,” Nicky says. “It just. It’s time. I’m serious about this, Braden, and it’s important for me to start showing it. I love you.”

It slips out before Nicky can think about it, but he knows it’s true. It feels right and genuine, and he wouldn’t take it back for anything.

“I love you too,” Braden says softly, wrapping his arms around Nicky’s waist, and Nicky tucks his face into Braden’s neck, sinking into his embrace.

\--

Picking his parents up from the airport goes by in a flurry, both his mom and his dad talking rapidly at him in Swedish, asking him about how he is and how the season is going and how the team is doing. Nicky barely gets a word in when he’s not answering questions but he’s smiling the whole time, feeling right at home.

“Hey, so do you guys mind if we have someone join for dinner?” Nicky asks as they’re pulling into the driveway of his home.

“Of course, not, Nicke. Who is it?” his mom asks.

Nicky’s stomach flutters a little with nerves, but it’s the good kind of nerves, like the butterflies he feels as he’s shuffling his feet in the tunnel before a big game. “Um, I want you to meet the person I’ve been seeing.”

“Oh,” his mom says, looking at Nicky’s dad in surprise. “Who is it? Someone from the team?”

“Is it Mike?” his dad asks.

“Why does everyone think that?” Nicky mumbles and then says more clearly, “No. It is someone from the team, but not Greenie. It’s um, Braden. We’ve been seeing each other for a few months now.”

His mom’s face softens, and she embraces Nicky suddenly. “Of course, love. Thank you for wanting to share this with us.”

Nicky nods, butterflies picking up again, excited about how the night will go.

\--

The lead up to dinner is hectic with Nicky working with his mom in the kitchen to make sure everything gets done and is perfect. Nicky doesn’t remember the last time he actually introduced his parents to someone he was dating, and the whole thing feels like a huge step in the right direction. 

Nicky dresses up nice even though they’re staying in, a simple blue suit with a white button up. He tries to do something with his hair but lets it be when it’s obvious it won’t cooperate. It’ll have to do.

Braden, ever punctual, rings the bell right at seven as Nicky is coming down the stairs. He takes a huge breath before opening the door, and he smiles when he sees Braden standing on his doorstep.

Braden looks sharp in his checkered suit and slicked back hair. In his hand is a bouquet of flowers.

“For me?” Nicky asks playfully, and Braden rolls his eyes.

“For your mom,” he said. “Wanted to make a good impression.”

“She’s already met you,” Nicky says, echoing Marcus’s words, but knowing what Braden means.

“Not as your boyfriend,” Braden says. “Hi, by the way,” he adds, stepping inside.

Braden wraps his arms around Nicky’s waist and kisses him slowly. Nicky sinks into it easily. 

“Hi, it’s good to see you.”

“Are you ready for this?” Braden asks, taking Nicky’s hands and twining their fingers together.

“As ready as I will be,” Nicky says truthfully. 

Braden kisses him one last time. “Let’s go then. Let’s meet your parents.”

Nicky nods and pulls Braden farther inside the house.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are appreciated.
> 
> You can find me @tjoshov on both twitter and tumblr if you would like to talk! I love making new friends :)


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